OHCC cheat sheet

Deming cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is the standard continuous improvement model for OHS management systems; each phase has defined inputs and outputs.

Hierarchy of controls, in order of effectiveness: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment.

A written OHS policy must state the organization's commitment, define roles and responsibilities, and be signed by the most senior executive.

Leading indicators (e.g., training completion, hazard reports closed, inspection frequency) predict future performance; lagging indicators (injury rates, lost-time claims) measure past outcomes.

Incidence rate formula: (number of recordable cases × 200,000) ÷ total hours worked; 200,000 = 100 workers × 40 hours × 50 weeks.

Lost-time injury rate uses the same formula with lost-time cases in the numerator; severity rate uses days lost × 200,000 ÷ hours worked.

Program audits should be conducted by personnel independent of the area being audited to preserve objectivity.

Management review is a required element of OHS management systems (e.g., ISO 45001) and must occur at planned intervals.

The 'internal responsibility system' is the foundational principle of most Canadian OHS legislation: employers and workers share responsibility for workplace health and safety.

Employers have a general duty to take every reasonable precaution to protect worker health and safety; specific duties are listed in the Act and regulations.

Workers have three core rights: the right to know about hazards, the right to participate in health and safety, and the right to refuse unsafe work.

Joint health and safety committees (JHSC) are required in most jurisdictions above a specified worker threshold (often 20 or more workers); composition and meeting frequency are set by statute.

Work refusals must be investigated promptly; the worker remains available for reassignment but cannot be disciplined for exercising the right.

Statutory timelines apply to reporting serious injuries, fatalities, and critical incidents to the regulator (often immediately or within 24 hours).

Due diligence is a legal defence requiring the employer to prove it took all reasonable steps to prevent the incident; documentation is the primary evidence.

Regulations are enforceable law; standards (e.g., CSA, ANSI) are voluntary unless incorporated by reference into regulation.

Risk = probability (likelihood) × severity (consequence); a risk matrix plots these two dimensions to assign a risk rating.

Hazard identification methods include job hazard analysis (JHA), safety inspections, incident reviews, worker reports, and task-based observation.

A risk assessment must consider who is exposed (workers, contractors, visitors, public) and the duration and frequency of exposure.

Residual risk is the risk remaining after controls are applied; it must be evaluated against the organization's risk tolerance criteria.

ALARP principle: risk should be reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable, balancing cost against the benefit of risk reduction.

Controls should be selected using the hierarchy of controls; PPE is the last line of defence and requires training, fit, and maintenance.

A bow-tie analysis links multiple threats and consequences to a single top event through preventive and mitigating barriers.

Hazard reporting systems must be accessible, non-punitive, and include a documented process for timely corrective action and closure.

Exposure assessment follows a basic characterization, exposure profile, and risk characterization sequence; qualitative assessment may precede quantitative sampling.

Occupational exposure limits (OELs) are typically expressed as time-weighted averages (TWA) over an 8-hour shift; short-term exposure limits (STEL) apply to 15-minute periods.

The formula for an 8-hour TWA is: (C1T1 + C2T2 + ... + CnTn) ÷ 8, where C is concentration and T is time in hours.

Sampling strategy must account for the most exposed worker, worst-case tasks, and variability; personal breathing-zone sampling is preferred for inhalation exposure.

The hierarchy of exposure controls mirrors the general hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering (ventilation, enclosure), administrative, and PPE.

Biological monitoring measures the substance or its metabolite in body fluids (e.g., urine, blood) and reflects total absorbed dose from all routes.

A substance's hazard classification (e.g., carcinogen, sensitizer) may require controls beyond those needed to meet the OEL.

Exposure assessment records must be retained for the period specified by regulation and should include sampling methods, results, and interpretation.

Health surveillance is required when a worker is exposed to a hazard for which a valid, reliable screening test exists and early detection can prevent harm.

Pre-placement medical examinations establish a baseline and confirm fitness for duty; they must be job-related and consistent with human rights legislation.

Surveillance programs must include a referral pathway for abnormal results, confidentiality protections, and a process for communicating fitness-for-work decisions.

Occupational diseases often have long latency periods; surveillance must be maintained for the duration of exposure and the statutory retention period.

Medical records must be kept separate from personnel files and released only with consent or as required by law.

Audiometric testing, spirometry, and biological monitoring are common surveillance tools; each has defined testing intervals and interpretation criteria.

Fitness-for-work assessments must be individualized and based on the essential duties of the job, not on a diagnosis alone.

Return-to-work programs should be developed collaboratively among the worker, healthcare provider, employer, and union (where applicable).

An emergency response plan must address identification of emergencies, alarm systems, evacuation routes, assembly points, and roles of responders.

Drills and exercises should be conducted at planned intervals and after significant changes; results must be documented and used to improve the plan.

Incident investigation should begin promptly to preserve evidence; the scene should be secured and witnesses interviewed separately.

Root cause analysis techniques include the 5 Whys, fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram, and fault tree analysis; the goal is to identify systemic causes, not blame individuals.

The investigation report should state the sequence of events, immediate and root causes, and corrective actions with responsible persons and due dates.

Corrective actions must be tracked to completion and verified for effectiveness; recurrence indicates the root cause was not adequately addressed.

Emergency supplies and equipment (first aid kits, fire extinguishers, AEDs) must be inspected and maintained per manufacturer and regulatory requirements.

Post-incident communication should include workers, regulators (as required), and insurers, while respecting privacy and legal privilege.

Training needs analysis identifies the gap between required and current knowledge, skills, and abilities for each role.

Competency-based training defines observable performance criteria and assesses the learner against them, not just attendance.

Adult learning principles (andragogy) emphasize relevance, problem-centered content, and respect for prior experience.

Training records must document the trainee, date, content, trainer, and evaluation method; retention periods are set by regulation or policy.

Communication of hazards must be understandable to all workers, including those with language, literacy, or sensory limitations.

Safety orientations are required for new workers, young workers, contractors, and workers returning from extended absence.

Refresher training intervals should be based on risk, regulatory requirements, and demonstrated competency decay.

Effectiveness evaluation can use Kirkpatrick's four levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results.

Professional codes of ethics require competence, integrity, confidentiality, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.

OHS professionals must report unsafe conditions to the appropriate authority when internal channels fail and harm is imminent.

Informed consent is required for health surveillance and research; workers must understand the purpose, risks, and benefits.

Privacy legislation governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information; minimum necessary information should be shared.

Program evaluation should use both process measures (implementation fidelity) and outcome measures (injury rates, exposure reduction).

The balanced scorecard approach can integrate leading and lagging indicators across financial, customer, internal process, and learning perspectives.

Benchmarking compares program performance against industry peers or recognized standards to identify improvement opportunities.

Evaluation findings must be communicated to stakeholders and used to update the program; the cycle is continuous, not one-time.